HSK 3 nearly doubles your vocabulary to ~1,000 words. This is where reading starts to feel genuinely rewarding — you can follow multi-chapter stories with real narrative arcs, understand characters’ motivations, and handle most everyday topics.
Multi-chapter stories with developed characters and actual plot tension. Topics expand to work, health, hobbies, and social situations. You’ll encounter 把 constructions, result complements, and more complex time expressions that make the prose feel natural.
Study the 493 new Level 3 words offline with the Free HSK 3 Anki deck, including word and sentence audio.
Common Questions
Is HSK 3 the ‘intermediate plateau’ I keep hearing about?▼
HSK 3 is where many learners stall because textbook study becomes less effective. Extensive reading — consuming lots of comprehensible text — is the proven way through. Our graded stories give you that input at exactly the right difficulty.
How long are HSK 3 stories compared to lower levels?▼
HSK 3 stories typically have 5-8 chapters with 300-500 characters per chapter. That’s enough for real character development and plot twists, while keeping each reading session to about 10-15 minutes.
Should I use the pinyin toggle at HSK 3?▼
Try ‘smart’ pinyin mode — it only shows pinyin for words above your level. This builds character recognition for words you should know while helping with new vocabulary. Gradually wean off pinyin as your reading speed improves.
一共yī gòngin total; altogether
一块儿yī kuài rerhua variant of 一塊|一块[yi1 kuai4]
一定yī dìngsurely; certainly; necessarily
一样yī yàngsame; like; equal to
一直yī zhístraight (in a straight line); continuously; always; all the way through
一般yī bānsame; ordinary; so-so
一边yī biānone side; either side; on the one hand
上衣shàng yījacket; upper outer garment
不久bù jiǔnot long (after); before too long; soon
不但bù dànnot only (... but also ...)
不同bù tóngdifferent; distinct; not the same
不用bù yòngneed not
不行bù xíngwon't do; be out of the question; be no good
不见bù jiànnot to see; not to meet; to have disappeared
世界shì jièworld
东dōngeast; host (i.e. sitting on east side of guest); landlord
东北dōng běinortheast; Northeast China; Manchuria
东南dōng nánsoutheast
东方dōng fāngeast; the East; the Orient; two-character surname Dongfang
丢diūto lose; to put aside; to throw
中zhōngwithin; among; in
中间zhōng jiānthe middle; the inside; in the middle; within; between; among; during; in the meantime
为wèibecause of; for; to
为了wèi lefor; for the purpose of; in order to
主要zhǔ yàomain; principal; major; primary
久jiǔ(of a period of time) long
习惯xí guànhabit; custom; usual practice
了解liǎo jiěto understand; to realize; to find out
以上yǐ shàngthat level or higher; that amount or more; the above-mentioned; (used to indicate that one has completed one's remarks) That is all.
以下yǐ xiàthat level or lower; that amount or less; the following
以为yǐ wéito think; to believe (often with the implication that the belief is mistaken – unless referring to one's own current belief)
以前yǐ qiánbefore; formerly; previous
以后yǐ hòuafter; later; afterwards
以外yǐ wàiapart from; other than; except for
休假xiū jiàto go on vacation; to have a holiday; to take leave
会议huì yìmeeting; conference
伞sǎnumbrella; parasol; CL:把[ba3]
住院zhù yuànto stay in hospital; to be hospitalized
体育tǐ yùsports; physical education
体育馆tǐ yù guǎngym; gymnasium; stadium
作业zuò yèschool assignment; homework; work
信xìnletter; mail; CL:封[feng1]
信用卡xìn yòng kǎcredit card
借jièto borrow; (used in combination with 給|给[gei3] or 出[chu1] etc) to lend; to make use of
假期jià qīvacation
做客zuò kèto be a guest or visitor
健康jiàn kānghealth; healthy
像xiàngto resemble; to be like; to look as if
先xiānbeforehand; first; earlier
公园gōng yuánpark (for public recreation)
公斤gōng jīnkilogram (kg)
关guānmountain pass; to close; to shut
关于guān yúpertaining to; concerning; with regard to
关心guān xīnto be concerned about; to care about
关机guān jīto turn off (a machine or device); to finish shooting a film
关注guān zhùto pay attention to; to follow sth closely; to follow (on social media); concern; interest; attention
关系guān xirelation; relationship; to concern
兴趣xìng qùinterest (desire to know about sth); interest (thing in which one is interested); hobby
其他qí tāother; (sth or sb) else; the rest
其实qí shíactually; in fact; really
养yǎngto raise (animals); to bring up (children); to keep (pets)
冬天dōng tiānwinter
冰bīngice; CL:塊|块[kuai4]; to chill sth
冰激凌bīng jī língice cream
冰箱bīng xiāngrefrigerator; (old) icebox
决定jué dìngto decide (to do something); to resolve; decision
凉快liáng kuaipleasantly cool (weather etc); to cool oneself; to cool off; (Tw) (slang) (of clothing) scanty; revealing
几乎jī hūalmost; nearly; practically
出发chū fāto set off; to start (on a journey)
出生chū shēngto be born
出院chū yuànto leave hospital; to be discharged from hospital
分开fēn kāito separate; to part
刚gānghard; firm; strong
刚刚gāng gangjust recently; just a moment ago
刚才gāng cáijust now; a moment ago; just now (variant of 剛才|刚才[gang1 cai2])
初中chū zhōngjunior high school (abbr. for 初級中學|初级中学[chu1 ji2 zhong1 xue2])
别人bié renother people; others; other person
别的bié deelse; other
刮guāto scrape; to blow; to shave
到处dào chùeverywhere
刷shuāa brush; to paint; to daub
刻kèquarter (hour); moment; to carve
前天qián tiānthe day before yesterday
前年qián niánthe year before last
办bànto take care of (a matter); to deal with (a task, procedure etc); to organize (an event)
办公室bàn gōng shìoffice; business premises
办法bàn fǎway of handling sth; means; measure; (practical) solution to a problem
加jiāto add; (math.) plus; to increase
动物dòng wùanimal
动物园dòng wù yuánzoo
努力nǔ lìto make an effort; to try hard; to strive; hard-working; conscientious
勺子sháo zispoon; ladle
北běinorth; (classical) to be defeated
北方běi fāngnorth; the northern part a country; China north of the Yellow River
半天bàn tiānhalf of the day; a long time; quite a while
南nánsouth
南方nán fāngsouth; southern direction; (in China) southern regions, often referring to areas south of the Yangtze River
卡kǎto stop; to block; (computing) (coll.) slow
卫生间wèi shēng jiānbathroom; toilet; WC
历史lì shǐhistory
参加cān jiāto participate; to take part; to join
又yòu(once) again; also; both... and...
双shuāngtwo; double; pair
发fāto send out; to show (one's feeling); to issue
发展fā zhǎndevelopment; growth; to develop
发烧fā shāoto have a high temperature (from illness); to have a fever; (fig.) to be fascinated with; to obsess over; (fig.) flourishing; thriving; popular
发现fā xiànto notice; to become aware of; to discover; to find; to detect; a discovery
发生fā shēngto happen; to occur; to take place; to break out
叔叔shū shufather's younger brother; paternal uncle; form of address used by children for a male one generation older
受shòuto receive; to accept; to suffer
受到shòu dàoto receive (praise, an education, punishment etc); to be ...ed (praised, educated, punished etc)
变biànto change; to become different; to transform
变化biàn huà(intransitive) to change; to vary; change; variation (CL:個|个[ge4])
变成biàn chéngto change into; to turn into; to become
句jùsentence; clause; phrase
句子jù zisentence
只是zhǐ shìmerely; only; just; nothing but; simply; but; however
只有zhǐ yǒuonly have ...; there is only ...; (used in combination with 才[cai2]) it is only if ... (that one can ...) (as in 只有通過治療才能痊愈|只有通过治疗才能痊愈[zhi3 you3 tong1 guo4 zhi4 liao2 cai2 neng2 quan2 yu4] "the only way to cure it is with therapy"); it is only (someone) who ... (as in 只有男性才有此需要[zhi3 you3 nan2 xing4 cai2 you3 ci3 xu1 yao4] "only men would have such a requirement")
只能zhǐ néngcan only; obliged to do sth; to have no other choice
只要zhǐ yàoso long as; provided; if
可kě(prefix) can; may; able to
可是kě shìbut; however; (used for emphasis) indeed
可爱kě àiadorable; cute; lovely
号码hào mǎnumber
司机sī jīchauffeur; driver
合适hé shìsuitable; fitting; appropriate
同事tóng shìcolleague; co-worker
同意tóng yìto agree; to consent; to approve
名人míng rénpersonage; celebrity
名单míng dānlist of names
后天hòu tiānthe day after tomorrow; life after birth (the period in which one develops through experiences, contrasted with 先天[xian1 tian1]); acquired (not innate or congenital)
后年hòu niánthe year after next
后来hòu láiafterwards; later; newly arrived
向xiàngtowards; to face; to turn towards
听说tīng shuōto hear (sth said); one hears (that); hearsay
员yuán(bound form) person engaged in a certain field of activity; (bound form) member; classifier for military generals
周末zhōu mòweekend
咱们zán menwe or us (including both the speaker and the person(s) spoken to); (dialect) I or me; (dialect) (in a coaxing or familiar way) you
哭kūto cry; to weep
啤酒pí jiǔbeer (loanword)
喜爱xǐ àito like; to love; to be fond of
嘴zuǐmouth; beak; nozzle
四季sì jìfour seasons, namely: spring 春[chun1], summer 夏[xia4], autumn 秋[qiu1] and winter 冬[dong1]
回答huí dáto reply; to answer; reply; answer
园yuánland used for growing plants; site used for public recreation
国家guó jiācountry; nation; state
图书馆tú shū guǎnlibrary
地图dì túmap
地方dì fāngregion; regional (away from the central administration); local
地点dì diǎnplace; site; location
坚持jiān chíto persevere with; to persist in; to insist on
城市chéng shìcity; town
声shēngsound; voice; tone
声音shēng yīnvoice; sound
复习fù xíto review; revision
夏天xià tiānsummer
外卖wài mài(of a restaurant) to provide a takeout or home delivery meal; takeout (business); takeout (meal)
外地wài dìparts of the country other than where one is
外语wài yǔforeign language
大人dà renadult; grownup; title of respect toward superiors
大小dà xiǎolarge and small; size; adults and children
大概dà gàiroughly; probably; rough
大熊猫dà xióng māogiant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
大衣dà yīovercoat; topcoat; cloak
太阳tài yangsun; sunlight; sunshine; temple (on the side of the human head) (abbr. for 太陽穴|太阳穴[tai4 yang2 xue2])
夫妻fū qīhusband and wife; married couple
头发tóu fahair (on the head)
奇怪qí guàistrange; odd; to marvel
女人nǚ rénwoman
女生nǚ shēngschoolgirl; female student; girl
好久hǎo jiǔquite a while
好像hǎo xiàngas if; to seem like
好多hǎo duōmany; quite a lot; much better
如果rú guǒif; in case; in the event that
姐妹jiě mèisisters; siblings; sister (school, city etc)
子zinoun suffix, as in 椅子[yi3 zi5] "chair"
字典zì diǎnChinese character dictionary (containing entries for single characters, contrasted with a 詞典|词典[ci2 dian3], which has entries for words of one or more characters); (coll.) dictionary
季jìseason; the last month of a season; fourth or youngest amongst brothers
季节jì jiétime; season; period
学期xué qīterm; semester
安全ān quánsafe; secure; safety; security
安静ān jìngquiet; peaceful; calm
完成wán chéngto complete; to accomplish
客人kè rénvisitor; guest; customer
室shìroom; work unit; grave
害怕hài pàto be afraid; to be scared
容易róng yìeasy; straightforward; likely; liable to; apt to
宾馆bīn guǎnguesthouse; lodge; hotel
对话duì huàto talk (with sb); dialogue; conversation
封fēngto confer; to grant; to bestow a title
小区xiǎo qūhousing estate; community; neighborhood; (telecommunications) cell
小心xiǎo xīnto be careful; to take care
尝chángto taste; to try (food); to experience
层céngto pile on top of one another; layer; stratum
屋子wū zihouse; room
山shānmountain; hill (CL:座[zuo4]); (coll.) small bundle of straw for silkworms to spin cocoons on
工作日gōng zuò rìworkday; working day; weekday
差chàdifferent; wrong; mistaken
差不多chà bu duōalmost; nearly; more or less
市shìmarket; city; municipality (administrative unit)
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